Samuelson died Dec 12 at 94. The Nobel winner is credited with bringing mathematics to economics. And whom among us did not use his textbook in Economics 101? According to David Colander and Casey Rothschild, "Sins of the Sons of Samuelson,", his legacy "has paralyzed the best brains in the Anglo0Saxon branch of the profession for the last three decades." They say don't blame Samuelson. It was his disciples who siad it wasn't economics if it couldn't be reduced to a model. They argue that's why most economists didn't see the financial crisis coming.
...which reminds me of my freshman economics course at Haverford (1962.) We used the Samuelson text. I remember it as large format text book, colored gray on gray. Anyway, I found it pretty darned easy and got a 100% on the first fall exam. So what did I do? I stopped going to class (as a part excuse, I had already found I learned better from books than lectures.) I also stopped reading the book. Well, Haverford required you attend class the day before Thanksgiving, so off I went to Economics...to be greeted by the second exam. I had no idea! I can still remember the panic I experienced. Stomach knot, racing pulse, spinning brain, and flush rushing to my face. I failed the exam with something like a 57. After the holiday, the professor called me in to explain the dive. I came clean on what had happened. I went on with the course and went back to my A grade ways and got some kind of C for the class. I can feel my stomach muscles contract when I think of that stupid experience. Ah well, live and learn....
Later by the way, some liberal economists published a counter Samuelson beginning economics text. I never have had the interest to read it, but probably should.
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